I have proposed and patented a series of fluid operated engines, the most recent being U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,505, Jan. 30, 1990, which represents the state of the prior art. In that patent complex and relatively slowly acting shuttle valves were required as input-exhaust valves as programmed from the fluid pressure fuel source through a rotary distributing valve. This system introduced some time delays and inefficiencies in operation of such fluid pressure operated engines which will be made more apparent hereinafter.
Such engines fueled by pressurized fluids are particularly useful where supplies of compressed natural gas, compressed air or other fluids under pressure are available, and when operations at high ambient temperatures provide significant cooling problems with internal combustion engines.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved fluid pressure operated engines.
A more specific object of the invention is to simplify construction and the number of moving parts used in such engines.
Another object of the invention is to provide improved operating efficiency of such engines.
A still further object of the invention is to precisely control the timing of engine valves with simple and reliable mechanisms which contribute to lower engine cost.
Yet another object of the invention is to introduce novel operating methods for fluid pressure operated reciprocating piston engines.